3 Attractions to Visit around Paris, KY

During your vacation, you will find that there are many places of interest around Paris that are worth visiting. Paris is located close to the city of Lexington and a number of popular natural attractions, and you will have unlimited things to do if you are willing to drive a short distance out of town. Here are three attractions around Paris that you should not fail to visit.

Daniel Boone National Forest is one of the most popular natural attractions in the state of Kentucky. It encompasses an area of more than 700,000 acres, most of which consists of rugged terrain. It is characterized by forested ridges, which are dissected by more than 3,000 miles of sandstone cliffs and ravines. Its great natural beauty and abundant wildlife attracts numerous outdoor enthusiasts. It has a number of special areas that provide opportunities for outdoor activities, as well as two beautiful lakes. Some of the activities that you can do in the forest include hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, boating, fishing, wildlife viewing and others. There are more than 600 miles of nature trails within the forest, including the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail that runs for 269 miles throughout the entire length of the forest.

You can get to the Daniel Boone National Forest from your Paris bed and breakfast by traveling southeast on Paris Road to Winchester first. From Winchester, take the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway to the forest.

If you're interested in learning about the history of Kentucky, you should pay a visit to Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate. This estate was established in 1809 by a Kentucky statesman named Henry Clay, and its main building is an 18-room mansion that features splendid Federal style architecture. It is regarded as a National Historic Landmark, and it became a public museum in 1950. During your visit, you will get to see many objects that used to belong to Henry Clay, watch a video about him, explore the outlying buildings and take a stroll in the formal garden. Guided tours are available every day, and they last about one hour.

The Kentucky Horse Park is another attraction around Paris that you must visit. This park is one of the most famous equestrian facilities in the world, and it has been the place of retirement for some of the finest competition horses in the world, including John Henry, Forego, Bold Forbes, Cigar, Da Hoss, Funny Cide, Alysheba and others. The park covers an area of more than 1,200 acres, and it offers a wide range of attractions, such as the Parade of Breeds, Hall of Champions, Legends of the Park, the Mare and Foal Show, horse drawn tours, horseback riding, sculptures and films. It is also home to two excellent equine museums, namely the International Museum of the Horse and the American Saddlebred Museum. After exploring the park, you can go to the gift shop to get some souvenirs before you return to your Paris inn.